Hole cutter for sheet material



Patented July 3, 1945 HQLECUTLIIEKFGR SHEET..MATERI-AL.

Uohn'M. Abrams, Brooklyn, Y;- Application March 21, 1944;.S-erial-NmvSZIEM 12 Claims (Oreo-4e) "The invention relates to a hole; cutter :such: as may be' utilized; ior: example; in :opening: 11711611130135 of 'seailedmontainers, and adapted ifor manual-.op-

erati'on to cut'a diskeeetion :out of *such' tops or other' thin material. Another *oo'ject =of -the invention 5 is to provide a hole cutter of simple constructionwhich will lend itself to ready and relatively inexpensive manufacture.

Still another object of the invention is to proo t e fivat onz vide suc-h an'assembly oi 'a'supporting and manipulating =frame element #and a cutter element that the respective-- elements may be rearranged, as fortransportationpurposes, in'a manner to-prevent contact with the cutting andother sharp" portions=of the cutter device untilitis desired to makeuseotsuch dvicea In carrying out theinventioma circular:flanged f-rame-'or=cupped disk is'-provided" with means such rotatingth'eputter manually to=cut the desired opening; said frame frictionalty retaining a cutter-bearing elm'e'nt having a -central ofiset' portion which is designed to engage-the -inner end of a portion of the frame projecting axially inwardly; for example; as anppBn-ended' tube: There is preferably mounted oversaid frame and the tubular= portion a detachable closureelement or cap upon which pressure ma'yfbeexerted in r setting theirame in position ior the cutting roperation;

For effecting such-' locationof the i"rame,-there is' supported by" the cutter-bearing element one or more prongs which extend -outwardly from the ofisetengaging portionoi 'sa'idz' 'cutteribe'aring element, whereby the pressure-exerted on-the cloas a pair of diametrically "disposed radial *1ugs i or prongszimerely byreversingthe,cutter-bearing elementi andrforcing'it into the :lower portion :of the frame with (the prongs :accommodatedzwithinthe I tubular; portion thereof.

The nature of the invention, however, willibe'st carried by the: cutter element.-

9 :is a fragmentary View, partlyrinrseetion, of farmodificationinthe arrangement ot'the prong members;

- FigxlO:israztragmentary view, .partlyin=section,

. 'o'i'sascontainer withop'ening rsea-led by one oi the sure element will be transmitted, through-the.

tubular portion and the oilset portion' engaging therewith; to the prongs parriedby said {engaging portion which puncture the material?! This will serve to position firmly-the cutter 'for rotation about the prongs whipli are rotatablw: connected to the cutter element at f its said offset: engaging portion; andupon completion of the cuttin operation the disk*-cutout thereby is prevented irom fallinginto the-interior, for example, of a container, througl'i'the'provisionoi barbs at'theouter ends of the: respective prongs locatedbelow -the cutting planeand upon the'severed disk will rest. 'I'he disk will the'n be withdrawn' with' the cutter device by pulling up on the latter, where-' upon if it he desiredto then again close the opening thus provided; this' 'may be accomplished by detaching the cover or cap element from the frame and placing the sam'e-"in inverted position 'in the opening; said cap' havinga raised rim portion 'of greater diameter than the opening. s

A' further advantage of the novel construction of cutter is that the assembly of the elements may be rearranged, as .for transportation purposes, to-

completely enclose the cutting elements and elements; :of' the inovel holecutter.

Fig. 11isxaaviewrinielevationiiliustrating theia'ssembly: =-of 'the 4 elements-.for transportation .pur-

iposes. I

. Referring' now to the: drawing .a-itrame element ofimetaliior otherisubstantial materialis provided,

lthe same beingainuthez'nature' of a cuppedaiisk 20 having the'fiange. orrim portion '21 and'zaicentral i inwardly-turned and, preferably; tubularzportion RM affording:a well-:or recess 123101? the frame telemam; 0 There is providediaonxzsaid frame Jone: or

rmore lradialrlugsl such .as thee radially outwardly 1. extending: pair of rdia-metrically disposedelugs: 24 for manually rotatingthehole tcutter in cutting. a holetherewith; for: example. in the topzotalcon- .tainer; orthroughrotherthin material These lugs may\conveniently be-provided by turningi. out aaportion ofsthe-flange 2312210113 its outeraedge.

Over this frame element is vdesignedito fit a suitable-closure element .such as the .c'ap 25 which .is .f-rictiona'lly retained thereonfor ready removal "'when s-said scap is to be-uti1ized as a closure for l aneopening .cut byihe an'ovel :hole cutter. To this end, sthe outside diameter of. the cap: is made teuconform- .to ..the diameter of the .hol'e made bymheshole' cutter', and a raised rim portion .26 I isprovided :ior said-cap .oi greater. diameter than sthe opening to. preventtth'e closure member. from dropping therethrough. a Withinrthe rrame .21! is designed to he retained *frictienallfi so as:- to be readily removable 'for zthe=purpose hereinaftemsetziorth, iazcutter-ibearing element 30. This element is in the nature of a bar provided with an ofi-set or' engaging 8-'is -asimilar view of one of the prongtmenrbers ually. i In addition, the cutter-bearing element carries 'set engaging portion 3!.

."face of-portion 3 l.

central portion 3| designed to contact or engage with the inner end of the: inturned tubular portion 22. The bar has its opposite ends doubled upon themselves to provide pairs of bearing arms 32 and 33, respectively, for retaining suitable cutter members. These are preferably of the rotary disk type or cutting wheels 34 and 35,

respectively, mounted on corresponding spindles one or more prongs, such as the prongs 40, which are rotatably carried by said element from. its off- The prongs may conveniently be provided as a unitary. U-shape member loosely riveted to the portion a: to be coaxial with the tubular portion 22 when the elements are assembled, as indicated.

Each f the said prongs, furthermore, .is pro- I vided with a barb 4|, the prongs extending suf- -ficiently below the cutting plane so that these barbs will also lie slightly. below thesam'e in order to retain a cut-out portion such as the disk 42, indicated in broken lines, Figs. 4 and 5. As

vindicated in Fig. 9, an additional prong 43 may be provided by extending, for example, the rivet 44 between the prongs 4B and somewhat beyond i'their outer ends; and an enlargement is provided on the rivet to shoulder againstthe'under This additional prong will facilitate positioning the cutter devicepreparatory to a cutting operation, and a single barbed prong 4Bonly may be required,'as shown. 1'

- Inoperating the novel hole cutter, for example to cut a hole 45 in the top of a container 41, the assembled elements, as indicated in Figs. 1-3, are merely placed overthe top-and pressure is exertedupon the closure element'or cap 25, for

"example by pressing thereon with the palm of 'the hand. This may readily be done as the outer surface of the cap is perfectly smooth and the pressure thus exerted may be transmitted through the walls of tubularportion22 directly to the oifset engaging portion 3'! to force'the prongs 40 through the material of the top. The cutter device is thereby anchored, and bythen rotating it as a whole through digital pressure on the lugs 24, a disk 42 will be cut fromthe top by the cutter members 34 and 35,-leaving the hole 46. "In withdrawing the cutter device, disk 42 will follow as it has in the meantime been caught by the barbs 4| of the prongs 4B and hasnot fallen into the interior of the container. If it be desired -to-again close the container, for example temporarily; at the said opening 46, cap element 25 may serve an additional purpose by detaching it from the assembly and inserting it in' inverted position into the said opening 46, as indicated in Fig. 10.

An additional feature of the novel assembly resides in the ready removability of the cutterbearing element from the assembly,'allowing of its return in reversed position into the frame, Fig. 11,

with the prongs accommodated in the well 23 of the tubular portion of said frame and the cutter members protected by the doubled end portions forming the bearing arms for said cutter members. This affords a more satisfactory arrangement as for shipping or storage purposes, the cutting portions of the assembly being suitably protected and incapable, also, of causing personal injury in handling the temporarily rearranged elements.

I claim:

1. A hole cutter, comprising a circular flanged frame having circumferential means for rotating the cutter manually and a central inturned portion, and a cutter-bearing'element with separated cutters, said element being held within the frame and having a central portion to engage the inner end of said'inturned portion of the frame, together with prongs secured to the central engaging portion and extending outwardly beyond the cutting plane of the cutters.

2. The hole cutter of claim 1, wherein the cuttar-bearing element is frictionally retained within the frame.

3. The hole cutter of claim 1, wherein the cuttar-bearing element is frictionally retained within the frame, and means are provided to hold the cutter-bearing element against rotation relatively to the frame.

4. The hole cutter .of claim 1, wherein the means for rotating the cutter are radial lugs diametrically disposed on the frame.

5. The hole cutter of claim'l, wherein the cutter-bearing element is frictionally retained within the frame and comprises a bar with ends doubled upon'themselves to provide arms for supporting respective cutter members.

6. The hole cutter of claim 1, whereinthe cut-- ter-bearing element is frictionally retained within the frame and comprises a bar with ends doubled upon themselves to provide arms for supporting respective cutter members, and lugs are turned inwardly from the flange of the frame for engagingthe opposite ends of said bar to prevent its rotation relative to said frame.

7. The hole cutter of claim 1, wherein the frame is a cupped disk from the wall of which the lugs extend radially outwardly, and a tubular portion is directed centrally inwardly from the cupped disk. I

8. The hole cutter of claim 1, wherein the cutter-bearing element is detachable from the frame for fitting in reverse position therein.

9. The hole cutter of claim 1, wherein the cutter-bearing element with prongs is detachable from the frame and adapted to fit therein in re verse position with said prongs extending into a tubular inwardly-directed portion of the frame.

10. The hole cutter of claim 1, wherein the prongs of the cutter-bearing element are rotatably secured to its central engaging portion.

11. The hole cutter of claim 1, wherein the prongs are barbed, the barbsthereof being located below the cutting plane of the cutters.

l2. The hole cutter of claim 1, wherein the prongs of the cutter-bearing element are rotatably secured to its central engaging portion by means of a rivet which is extended between said prongs and beyond the same, being pointed at its outer e d.-

JOHN ABRAMS. 

